The National Hockey League was set to open its season Thursday night, and Friday was to be the first real night of hockey at the Honda Center for the Ducks, and at Staples Center, where the Kings were to hang the team's Stanley Cup championship banner.

Both arenas, however, will be dark as the NHL's lockout – the third work stoppage in the past 18 years – has brought the season to a grinding halt. Some players are competing overseas or in the minor leagues while others mix working out on their own with shuttling their kids to school and tackling long-awaited projects at home.

But while they look to the day when professional hockey returns, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf plans to go about it like many of his teammates.

Work out in the gym. Skate through drills and scrimmage against fellow players on the ice. Mess around with his active young son. Maybe squeeze in a few holes on the golf course if there is time.

That isn't how Friday is supposed to play out for the Ducks' leader or his teammates.

Instead of skating out to a sellout crowd at Honda Center for their game against the San Jose Sharks to open the 2012-13 season, the Ducks are scattered about as the players are in the midst of a lockout with the 95-year-old NHL.

The lockout began after negotiators representing the owners and players could not agree on a new collective bargaining agreement after the seven-year deal expired on Sept. 15.

Training camps and exhibition games were canceled first, then all regular-season games through Oct. 24. Four were slated tonight – Ottawa at Montreal, Boston at Philadelphia, Vancouver at Calgary and St. Louis at Colorado.

"It'll be tough," Getzlaf said of not opening the season as scheduled. "It's one of those things where that day's going to come and go. Hopefully we can avoid the next part of that where we have to cancel more games. Hopefully this will put a little more pressure on both sides to get things done."

This is when optimism for a hockey team is in abundant supply. But that is almost impossible to find around the rink these days.

Several players have remained in Orange County, content to work out and wait until a new agreement ends the lockout. Others have left to play in the minor leagues or overseas.

Here's what a few of them are doing:

THE ICON

Teemu Selanne can hang up his skates right now if he wants and start the clock toward his inevitable induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But the 42-year-old face of the Ducks continues to work out and stay as ready as he can because he loves the game and isn't ready to let it go. The skating drills, however, have long lost their appeal.

Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne watches his daughter, Veera, during her riding lesson with Mike Croopnick at Shadow Run Farms in Coto de Caza Wednesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne watches his daughter, Veera, during her riding lesson with Mike Croopnick at Shadow Run Farms in Coto de Caza Wednesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne gets pictures of his daughter, Veera, during her riding lesson at Shadow Run Farms in Coto de Caza Wednesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne, at his home in Coto de Caza, picked up a leaf and with a smile said "No hockey for the Maple Leafs." MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne gets ready to hit golf balls out in front of his home in Coto de Caza Wednesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne hits golf balls in front of his home in Coto de Caza Wednesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Because of the current NHL lockout, Teemu Selanne can spend more time at his home in Coto de Caza. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teemu Selanne helps out around his house in Coto de Caza Wednesday by getting a power washer to the tennis courts. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Members of the Anaheim Ducks practiced at the Anaheim Ice Arena Monday morning during the NHL lockout. Teemu Selanne, right, works the puck in front of Ontario Avalanche goalie Mitch Privett, who came to help out at the practice. Other players, left to right, were Francois Beauchemin, Saku Koivu and Cam Fowler. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Anaheim Ducks players Francois Beauchemin, left, and Saku Koivu fight over a puck while practicing at the Anaheim Ice Arena Monday. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teemu Selanne and former NHL player Craig Johnson (current head coach of Santa Margarita High ice hockey team) laugh at the Ducks players going one on one with semi-pro goalies during an informal practice at the Anaheim Ice Arena. Johnson directed the drills for several current Ducks players and former player Joffrey Lupul. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Monday, during the NHL lockout, local professional hockey players were staying in shape by practicing at the Anaheim Ice Arena. Here Joffrey Lupul, a former Ducks player now with Toronto, scores past Long Beach Bomber goalie Brian Parsons. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Monday, during the NHL lockout, local professional hockey players were staying in shape by practicing at the Anaheim Ice Arena. Here Ducks players Cam Fowler , left, and Francois Beauchemin go one on one. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ducks player Teemu Selanne streaks toward the goal during a two on two drill. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teemu Selanne, left, approaches the goal as Saku Koivu defends. Long Beach Bomber goalie Brian Parsons mind the net. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
After a fast-paced set of drills Joffrey Lupul, center, and Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler take a breather at Anaheim Ice Arena. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teemu Selanne, left, approaches the goal that Long Beach Bomber goalie Brian Parsons defends. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Members of the Anaheim Ducks practiced Monday at the Anaheim Ice Arena Monday morning during the NHL lockout. Former NHL player (Ducks and Kings) Craig Johnson, left, ran the practice drills. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ducks player Francois Beauchemin works a cone pattern during warmup drills. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ducks players Cam Fowler , left, and Francois Beauchemin go one on one. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ducks players Nick Bonino, left, and Cam Fowler, go one on one. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Teemu Selanne, left, and Francois Beauchemin laugh at the end of practice. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Ducks players Francois Beauchemin, bottom, and Nick Bonino work through a cone pattern during warmup drills. BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Unlike his Ducks teammates, forward Devante Smith-Pelly will be playing hockey on Friday. He will be in the lineup for the AHL Norfolk Admirals, who host the Worcester Sharks on Friday night. SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
Ducks defenseman Luca Sbisa signed to play with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League A during the NHL lockout. Said Sbisa: 'You can practice as much as you want, but you need games to get better.' AP PHOTO
Because of the lockout, Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau has been able to watch his son, Brady, mind the net for Orange Lutheran High's hockey team. FILE PHOTO

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